Reggie Leach
Reginald Joseph Leach (born April 23, 1950 in Riverton, Manitoba) is a retired professional ice hockey winger who played in the NHL between 1970 and 1983. He is of First Nations ethnicity. Playing career Nicknamed "The Riverton Rifle", Leach was drafted third overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. He played 934 career NHL games, scoring 381 goals and 285 assists for 666 points. His best season was the 1975–76 season, when he set career highs in goals (61), points (91), game-winning goals (11), and plus-minus with a +73 rating. Those 61 goals gave him the goal-scoring title (now the Richard Trophy) for the season. He is best remembered as being one of very few players to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs from the losing team in the Stanley Cup finals, a distinction he achieved while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, as they were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens in 1976. He is the only non-goaltender to win this award in a losing cause. Leach won the trophy after setting the NHL record for most goals in the playoffs (19), a record that stands to this day. During that same playoff season Leach recorded a five-goal game vs. the Boston Bruins, a record shared with Maurice Richard and Darryl Sittler. Also, his total of 80 goals for the season and playoffs together set a new NHL record which stood until 1980-81 when Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders scored 85. Coaching career In late 2007, Leach joined the Manitoulin Islanders of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League as an associate coach. In the spring of 2008, it was announced that Leach would return to Manitoulin for the 2008–09 season as the full-time head coach and director of hockey operations. Career Statistics Career Moves *Traded by Boston to California with Rick Smith and Bob Stewart for Carol Vadnais and Don O'Donoghue, February 23, 1972. *Traded by California to Philadelphia for Larry Wright, Al MacAdam and Philadelphia's 1st round choice (Ron Chipperfield) in 1974 Amateur Draft, May 24, 1974. *Signed as a free agent by Detroit, August 25, 1982. Awards & Achievements *'Manitoba Junior Hockey League' Record Most Goals--Right Winger 67 (1967) *'Manitoba Junior Hockey League' First All-Star Team (1967) *Turnbull Cup Manitoba Junior Hockey League Championship (1967) *'Western Canada Junior Hockey League Goal Scoring Leader (1968), setting League Record of 87' *'Western Canada Hockey League First All-Star Team (1968, 1969, & 1970)' *President's Cup Western Canada Hockey League Championship (1969 & 1970) *'Western Canada Hockey League Goal Scoring Leader (1970)' *Brownridge Trophy Western Canada Hockey League Scoring Champion (1970) *'Western Canada Hockey League MVP (1970)' *Stanley Cup National Hockey League Championship (1975) *'National Hockey League Goal Scoring Leader (1976)' *'National Hockey League Second All-Star Team (1976)' *Conn Smythe Trophy National Hockey League Playoff MVP (1976) *Played in NHL All-Star Game (1976 & 1980) *Played in the Canada Cup Tournament for Canada (1976) *Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1997 *Selected to Manitoba's All-Century Second All-Star Team *“Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame External links Category:Born in 1950 Category:Canadian ice hockey players Category: Flin Flon Bombers (MJHL) players Category:Flin Flon Bombers (WHL) players Category: Boston Bruins draft picks Category:Oklahoma City Blazers (1965-1977) players Category:Boston Bruins players Category:California Golden Seals players Category:Philadelphia Flyers players Category:Montana Magic players Category:Madison Monsters players Category:Retired in 1984 Category:Retired in 1998 Category:Manitoba junior hockey All-Time Roster Category:Aboriginal ice hockey players Category:Detroit Red Wings players